Campisi's

This was my first visit to this small Italian restaurant, and I was taken a back by the candle lit ambiance, which means it really dark inside. I was served immediately and with a smile. I tried their pizza since that's what this chain is known (being the first in Dallas). Maybe it's my New York roots, but I was not impressed with their thin crust pizza, nor their dry Coconut Cream cake that reminded me of sweet cornbread.

Best Italian food in DFW! My parents introduced me to this historic restaurant in 1962. I’ve been a loyal patron ever since! The legacy of Joe and Marie Campisi continues. They were lovely people who made you feel like one of the family. Tonight my family dined in the famous circular booth in the corner. The dark and romantic atmosphere is unparalleled. Service was outstanding and every detail was perfect. The drinks from the bar were well prepared. The appetizers were hot and fresh. Don’t forget Joe’s Special Garlic Toast. The Italian Crab Claws are to die for. Main dishes ordered were the lasagna, eggplant Parmigiana, and the “ All the way Pizza”. The salads were fresh and crisp. If you want authentic Italian cuisine and decor, look no further.

We've been dining here for years. We also visit their other locations but I love this place the best. The food is good but we also get the meat lovers pizza and a salad. The salad was fresh! My brother-in-law had the lasagna and cleaned the plate.

Service was excellent. Food is so good. Authentic. I appreciated the taste buds. However as a deaf person when one of your staff took my phone to get WiFi password. I didn’t feel comfortable with that. I know you were being nice but that was my communication method. I felt vulnerable. Next time please write down or show text or a different manner.

I had the best Italian dinner of my entire life here. There’s really not much else to say. The staff were friendly, the atmosphere is nostalgic, but the food was superb. I will definitely be back when I travel back this way.

My husband and I were in Dallas for our 35th anniversary. I heard about the founder’s story of Campisi’s, and I have wanted to dine here for two years. We got our chance today. We came here for a late lunch. We overshot the parking lot (TWICE!) as we learned that all the available spaces in front were very clearly NOT for Campisi customers. There is a large parking lot BEFORE the restaurant for Campisi customers. Upon entering on a very sunny day, it took our eyes a few minutes to adjust to the dim lighting inside. We were promptly greeted and taken to our booth. Our waitress was very attentive and friendly. I ordered the eggplant parmigiana and my husband ordered the meat lovers pizza and a salad. The salads came quickly. The food came in a reasonable amount of time. The salad was good with a cheesy Italian dressing over chopped iceberg lettuce. The eggplant Parmesan had a good flavor, but it was very tough to cut—I have a feeling it was not made from scratch in house. The fettuccine Alfredo was good. My husband’s pizza was decent, and we both LOVE the thin crust pizza. We left very full. It wasn’t quite the experience I had built up “as the best Italian food in Dallas,” but it was a restaurant with a fun atmosphere—juke boxes at each table (although not working) and time period music such as Rosemary Clooney, Della Reese, Frank Sinatra, and more playing.

Amazing food and amazing history to this place. Don't miss the spaghetti with meatballs and meat sauce. The history is actually astonishing here. The First pizzeria in TX. 1st liquor license after prohibition. 1st Italian restaurant in TX. Who's eaten here? Everybody who was somebody: Frank Sentara and the Rat Pack, mobsters, ALL the Cowboys, and past presidents. Ask to see the former speakeasy next door.

Great nostalgia atmosphere. Got there early for lunch and it filled up quickly. Service was wonderful and had the lunch special. Spaghetti meatball, raviolis, lasagna with meat sauce. Side salad too. And that bread, fageddaboudit. Can’t wait to come back and try other menu items. Quite the history about this place if you don’t know look it up or ask. Very cool

The food and service was really good which made me happy although I do have to say the prices were a bit High, they do have lunch pricing which made it a little bit more palatable. All in all I enjoyed myself and like I said the food was good so I was happy when I left. If I was going to make a complaint it would be that all the menus we were handed were dirty. Which isn't too big of a deal I guess but the reason they were probably dirty is because it was so dark in the restaurant that the waitresses probably couldn't see that they were dirty. Now it being dark isn't necessarily a complaint, it's just not my personal preference. All in all it was a good experience and I plan on taking my in-laws there next time they visit *Poor *Decent *Ok *Good *Great *Best *JLFoodie Certified Prices. Decent Food. Great Service. Good Cleanliness. ok Consistency. Good Variety. Great Value. Good

Since this place already has so many reviews, I'm going to just hit the high spots: I have been to the Mockingbird location 5 or 6 times in the past three months. Service has always been very good. If you're not familiar with the pork chop, you're missing out. I almost hate to recommend it as I consider it a solid value for the price and you won't go hungry. It comes with the house salad which I love, and garlic wilted spinach which is awesome. Sometimes with a larger party we get a small Italian sausage and black olive with jalapeno pizza as an appetizer and I love the thin crust! Delicious! Atmosphere in the central dining room with the bar and the Club room are both awesome, vintage Campisi's vibe. The big room to the left is ok, sort of a lite version of the other rooms. Glad it's there for when they are busy as it cuts down on wait time to have so many more tables.

We shared the calamari. I got the pasta combo. (Lasagna, spaghetti & meatball and ravioli) Tull got the shrimp scampi. We ate all of it. Everything was delicious, the service was impeccable and the ambiance was classic Campisi's, can't see a damn thing in there but it makes the food taste even better. The Egyptian restaurant is the best location by far.

this review is for the Mockingbird location. You can't see a thing when you first walk in the door. I kinda like it. It was very busy for a Sunday noon as I would expect. And it was LOUD. picked a booth over on the left. We figured that it would be less noisy than sitting in the midst of everyone. Our server was Mark. He did excellent job. I had the mushroom pizza which was delicious. My husband had the sausage sandwich which was more than he could eat. Of course we took the leftovers. This was fine, but I really prefer the mockingbird location.

Best Italian food in DFW! My parents introduced me to this historic restaurant in 1962. I've been a loyal patron ever since! The legacy of Joe and Marie Campisi continues. They were lovely people who made you feel like one of the family. Tonight my family dined in the famous circular booth in the corner. The dark and romantic atmosphere is unparalleled. Service was outstanding and every detail was perfect. The drinks from the bar were well prepared. The appetizers were hot and fresh. Don't forget Joe's Special Garlic Toast. The Italian Crab Claws are to die for. Main dishes ordered were the lasagna, eggplant Parmigiana, and the " All the way Pizza". The salads were fresh and crisp. If you want authentic Italian cuisine and decor, look no further.

We were in the area and it was around dinner time so we decided to check this place out. We had been to other locations but the ambience and history of this location had us intrigued. It did not disappoint. It was like stepping back in time. the decor and booths where straight from the 50s (LOVED IT!) place was packed on a Saturday evening around 5:15. (we joined the wait list while in route via yelp app!) We got seated on arrival and ordered a house wine. (It was delish!) We each got a plate with a salad and bread. The portions where large so we had leftovers. Staff was very nice and professional. ( the ONLY issue was it was so dark inside LOL took a while for eyes to adjust!) Add it to the love list

And to think this was my first stop when I came home from Colorado every year. Lasagna with meat sauce was my favorite. Ordered the other day, cut it open, and could not find one piece of meat inside or cheese. Just a stack of noodles partially covered with sauce. Price up $4.95 Ingredients cut 70% Ugh

A Dallas staple!! Great quality, great price, and such a cozy ambiance. Our server Mark was phenomenal during our most recent visit and everyone on staff is so friendly. Food is fresh and always delicious. A must-visit when you're in Dallas!

The service was fantastic. We were seated quickly on a busy Thursday. They very kindly allowed us to sit in the Jack Ruby booth, which was our entire reason for visiting. Our server was fast and friendly. Food is God awful. I'm a big eater. I don't waste food. I can't remember the last time I didn't finish a meal. This was inedible. Everything tasted like it came from a package or jar.

The ambiance of the restaurant seems quiet zin photos..once we stepped in we were blasted with loud music and a tightly spaced tables.Seems more like a nightclub than a sit down restaurant..the hostess sat us a (party of 2) in between to big parties of atleast 6 people each. Once we were moved we were completely ignored by staff. We did not receive the complimentary bread and not given refills. It took about 40 minutes for us to receive our food. And it was worse italian ive had. We both got the chicken parm... the chicken was alright.. but the spaghetti was drowned in tomato sauce that tasted like lean cuisine probably to hide the dirty mop water tasting pasta. Overall not worth it and you could Scalini's right down the street for cheaper and better service. (Sorry Scalini's wont cheat on u again)

How about this revised version? "The venue had a cool vibe, but it was overly dimly lit; good ambiance is essential. However, visibility was poor. I ordered calamari, which lacked seasoning and flavor; they were tough and bland. My spaghetti combo was drowning in sauce, and the presentation was disappointing, lacking any effort to make it visually appealing. While the server was polite, they seemed rushed and didn't listen well. This restaurant could definitely benefit from a reset."

I was surprised with how big the inside of the restaurant was and we were sat pretty quickly for a Friday night. Our server was phenomenal with recommendations as it was our first time. We ordered a glass of the Sauvignon blanc and Pinot gris which were both just okay. The server recommended the soprano vodka pasta and add chicken and then the "all the way" pizza. Huge servings but so good. They also give you a house salad

Old school Italian Large portions. Great bruschetta. Family friendly Great service Hidden gem

Wow, what a great place. My wife and I came down from far North Texas for a concert at the Granada. I was looking for someplace fun to eat and saw Campisi was around the corner and was an original location. Not really having a clue what it was like outside of great food reviews, we walked right into the past. From the moment you walk through the padded door, you are transported back to the age of dark, red booth seating and old-time bars. We didn't have RSVP but we also showed up at 5 pm on a Saturday so it was not yet full. We were seated in what used to be the Club, an area that required an invitation to come in. As you can see from the pictures very old school and just as dark as the old bar we entered. We both started with the Tuacargarita which is a house special. For apps, we went with meatballs and garlic bread. Both amazing. Mark, our waiter brought us small salads and house bread, which was good. I had chicken parm with Spaghetti and my wife had the crab claws as her entry. Both of us fully loved our choices. The crab claws were in a fairly large bowl with a lot of small crab claws in A broth. Neither of us had room for dessert, but we did leave wanting to come back. So good and a great time.

I went once in 2012 when I first moved to Dallas. I didn't recall anything about it, other than it was dark inside, but we got a gift card recently and decided to try it again. I can honestly say I will never go back. The service was very slow. Yes, it was Friday night, but it wasn't that busy... there was no wait, just slow. Drinks took a while. The bread that came out with the salad was just a loaf of hard bread. No butter. No oil. Just a loaf of hard bread. The entrees came out, one of them was wrong (I hate when servers think it's cute not to write down your order) but it took close to 45 min to try the first one so we didn't dare send it back. I am not sure how Alfredo can taste sour & bitter, but it did. I added shrimp to mine and they come out with tails, which I just personally find so gross. All in all... 1/10.

READ THIS REVIEW....... Ok, I've been eating their pizza for 35 years and love it. However, it saddens me to see so many negative reviews on food quality. I went open minded and my pizza was perfect!!!! I got the all the way, minus mushrooms (make pizzas a little soggy), add garlic, and extra crispy (crunchy crust and toasted meats). I've been in FL for 2 years... and on my first bite, I had a huge reaction (spontaneous and not intentional). I sat up in my chair, turned my head to the ceiling, raised both arms up to the sky, and said "Mmmmmmmm" as I chewed.... and afterwards, said, "it feels so good to be alive!" Yes, it was dramatic, but it's been 2 years! Now for the sad part. My friend ordered the lasagna with meat sauce. He is a big foodie and cooks a lot. The pasta was so undercooked that he could not cut it or eat it. Seemed to be dried hard pasta from a box, layered in the pan, and expected to fully cook in the oven. Definitely not freshly made. Really bad and he could not eat it. Therefore only 3 stars. (Would be a 1 for lasagna, 5 for pizza.)

Yow...They have gone so downhill since my last visit. The service was awkward and slow, and it was a weeknight so they weren't packed. The crab claws are usually amazing, but these were overcooked and somehow dry while swimming in butter. Pizza was fine, what we expected but it took so long because our waitress almost never came by. We almost told them to pack the pizza to go because it took so long and we were sick of waiting, but a food runner dropped it and ran so we had a couple slices before we could get anyone to bring us a box. Probably not coming back anytime soon.

Oh my word! The food was just like the 60's. The manager is amazing and bar staff are incredibly efficient. Such a wonderful JF Kimbal. Reunion. Thanks for the memories!

Horrible. Had to leave because they never brought the food out. they only brought us out wilted slimy salad. Waiter was rude and wouldn't check on our table and wouldn't go check to see if our food was ready. Place looked gross inside as well. Will never be returning to this horrible restaurant, definitely the worst restaurant I've ever been to

Wish I could give zero stars! Placed a lunch order on Saturday (06/29/24) and got home (45 minutes away) to find it incomplete. Will NEVER patronize this restaurant again. The food was lackluster, at best.

A party of 7. None of us had ate there before and had a recommendation. I would say that only two of the seven liked their meal. The sautéed shrimp scampi was so unusual and not the expected flavor. My husband had the pork chop and he found it dry. I had a penne with a pink sauce. It had a strange after taste. We also thought it was odd for an Italian restaurant to not provide garlic bread with the meal. The Service was average at best and was slow. The restaurant was very dark. We had to turn our phone flashlights on to read the menu. The restaurant was very busy especially for a Tuesday night so maybe we should have ordered other menu items.

This place feels like you're stepping back in time! Dimly lit, red velvet, old photos covering every wall.. We were served by "Mama," aka the daughter/granddaughter of the guys who started the restaurant. She was so sweet, we said it was our first time and she brought some meatballs and sauce to the table for us to try, and afterwards took us for a little tour of the restaurant and explained some of the history. A bit pricey- I paid $39 before tip for chicken Alfredo and 2 beers. Mama noticed my Alfredo was a little dry so she asked if she could bring me a side of alfredo which made it much better :)

The owners of this restaurant should probably not have certain family members behind the bar! Extremely rude and trashy .... But you already knew that ....:.food is generally not Great... pizza's are delicious.... But in general it's trashy.....

One of my favorite longtime restaurants in Dallas. I've been coming to this restaurant for 30 years and the food hasn't changed a bit. It might look dark inside when you come in, but don't let the atmosphere fool you because the food is good. The family left the original interior decor design the way it is because the original Mr. Campisi liked it that way. I usually get a medium pizza and take some of it home and then I get the butter and mushroom sauce pasta and two meatballs on the side. Sometimes I get the lasagna and sometimes I get a chicken dish no matter what I order, it's always good and the food is consistent. I love the fried raviolis. As for alcohol, don't expect a top level bartender to wait on you, or a large alcohol variety, because that's not gonna be the case, but they do have good wine and beer.

I have been going to the original Campisi's on Mockingbird Lane all my life. Since I no longer live in Dallas we always eat there when we are in town. It did not disappoint. To start us off, we had Joe's Toast with cheese. That was great. And then pizza. Wonderful meal at a great place.

Every time I have gone here I have had a fantastic experience. The staff has been super friendly and the food has been great. Even my 12 year old daughter (whose diet consists of 90% chicken tenders and fries) loves it here. They have kept everything almost the same as when it opened, and the location has a rich Dallas history. I only wish the jukeboxes in the booths worked, but they still add to the ambiance.

Bad presentation, quality, bad service, & over-priced! Order by phone took over 15 min. Delivery male did not speak, greet, or smile - but got angry sarcastic when I did not give bk his dirty, greasy, pen, after writing the "tip". The medium oval pizza seemed small. Thin crust was chewy dense, hard, stale, no flavor. Minimal cheese, sauce, topping. Bottom had black spots all over, as if the oven is not cleaned. Side salad S (4.50) had fresh torn lettuce, but only 1 olive w/pit, 1 peppercini. Plain! Dressing (on side) had little flavor. Delivery $3. Pizza box had greasy prints, no seals, crunched greasy receipt. Why tip? Not recommended.

We tried the original location last night. It was delicious. For appetizers we had the meatballs and the fried ravioli. The meatballs were great the ravioli were just ok. They were the only item we had that wasn't fantastic. We had two pizzas (meat lovers and all the way), the shrimp scampi and two pasta samplers. All delicious. We even had leftovers to take home. We will definitely be back.

I'm really disappointed as to the level of service we received. No one came to at the least provide water after having been seated for a while. It's upsetting to not feel as a valued customer. I like the campisis in downtown Dallas.

I was expecting the moon and stars from what people said about this place, but I think people are living in the past. Of course, yelpers told us not to do it, but we'd heard about it forever and had to. YUCK! Part of the noodles were hard, the shrimp was over-seasoned. The salads...both the Greek and the house tasted...should I say "gritty"...as if sand was in them. We wondered did they wash the lettuce?! We only ate one bite of each. The famous Joe's garlic bread was akin to what I made when I was 5 with extra hamburger buns. The eggplant parm was meh. The one thing that I will rave about was that there Marinara single-handedly got them the second star, otherwise it would have been a one star. I felt like the staff were hohum about everything. Just not good. I know people go here because of their memories, but if you're looking for a great place for Italian, you can do better than this. Don't try to live in someone's rose colored rear view mirror.

Wonderful Mob Aesthetic Atmosphere that really take you back to the old days. We had a party of about 15 and they had our table ready for us. I had the Crab Claws and the Chicken Parmesan and it was full of flavor and pippin hot. Will definitely be back!

I've been well served every time I've gotten food from here. Having been a happy customer since 1974 (50 years!), that's saying a lot! I always get the half-baked All the Way pizza so we can finish baking it at home. The side salad with House dressing has never been disappointing, so fresh! After a difficult work week, it's so relaxing to kick back with a drink while that delicious food finishes cooking, knowing it's never missed the mark. They've been around forever making fresh, authentic Italian food. From our experience, everything there is delicious. Very interesting history. Love hearing stories from way before our time.

My mama took me here for lunch the other day! I love Italian food (and mobster history) so I was stoked to go! GOD their house red sauce is DELICIOUS. I loved the atmosphere too! I really enjoyed my lunch. I'll be back!

Amazing service by Mae at the bar, coming back for sure. And the food was amazing as always.

Excellent food and ambience & service! Really authentic Italian cuisine. Always my first choice.

Old school Italian Restaurant with old school vibes. Darkly lit and straight out of an old school mob movie. The pizza is the best I've had in Dallas, and the pasta bolognese which I always get isn't too far behind. Come here! You'll have fun.

So super old school and swanky with amazing ambiance. The staff was friendly and the food was homemade Italian at its best and super rich and delectable. Will definitely be back.

Good as always! Joes Garlic toast was amazing like always. Pizza was top notch! One of our favorites!

This place is legendary and that only adds to its appeal. Walking in the door at Campisi's Egyptian Room off Mockingbird in Dallas yes like walking into a time machine that takes you back to the early sixties. Not much has changed since that era except the people that work here. If I am being 100% honest the food it's just a little bit above okay but nowhere near Five Star Quality. But I give Campisi's a 5-star review because it is as much about the atmosphere as it is about the food. The main stay here is there thin crust Square Pizza. When properly cooked the crust has almost a crack hurry texture to it. Honestly I love thin crust pizza so I am pretty happy here when I come here.

Our regular large pizza order was just not very good tonight! Very disappointed, not the usual fragrant delicious pizza. Not sure who was cooking, but there was none of the usual seasoning, not tasty very blah and with cardboard tasteless crust! And not well cooked... As a regular customer for decades I hate to say it, hope it was just a very "off night"!

Food is very home style. Pasta is awesome. Service was great. Love the atmosphere. Always has been my favorite

Semi-delicious food. Could have been our waiter but we waited over 45 mins for our drink order and the restaurant wasn't horribly busy. Appetizer was also very late, pushing back our entrees. The bread was delicious and the ravioli had great filling. However, the red sauce was overly watery and had separation on the plate, making a wet mess. It was good enough to try again though. Next time, I'll try a white sauce. Pizza was amazing.

Pasta not done hard. Eggplant not cooked. Sauce not very good. All 3 entrées we ordered bad. Will not be back.

The worst fettuccine alfredo my friend and I have ever had - no butter, no garlic, no salt - just so horrible I couldn't even eat it. And the grilled chicken on it too! Zero seasoning. Costco's is better than this and Campisi's costs $20-$24 per portion!! Armed robbery.

Came here over the weekend and had such a fantastic time! Mama Jo made sure everything went well for us and brought out some samples prior to us ordering so we can get a taste. I got the eggplant parmigiana and it was fantastic - eggplant was perfectly crispy and the Alfredo sauce was so creamy. The portion size was huge and so now I have a whole other meal to look forward to! She even walked is through the history of the place and showed us around when we were done. Her passion for the restaurant came through so clearly and added a whole layer of appreciation for the food, history, and service of Campisi's and I absolutely had the best time!

It isn't going to be a preference for pizza for me. Atmosphere is too dark and seedy. I had water because there wasn't drinks on the menu. Later I found out it was a secret I had to ask for. We got the Joes bread. I never had garlic bread using brioche bread and didn't care much for it. I got a pizza with the homemade sausage. The sausage had too much licorice flavor. The sauce was too acidic for me. I gave my review a 3 because it was mainly my personal preferences. I recommend trying it out as it's not the average normal pizza to expect

We eat here often. It's our favorite pizza, today is Mother's Day. We understand longer wait times. We were told 15 minutes, and we were very happy with that. they took my cell number and I received a text right away saying we would be notified when our table was ready. 20 minutes later and all of the people there before us, plus 20 others that arrived after us were seated. When we asked about why we were skipped, we were told we never gave our number and it would be another 20 minutes or more before we were seated. Bye Campisi's. Thanks for not letting me have my pizza.

If you like chicken parm you're going to love this place. The crust on the chicken is crispy and the sauce is amazing. No the pizza. Wow. It's definitely the best in the metroplex. Be nice if they had a good salad too.

A Dallas Institution! Hey, Im gonna make you an offer you cant refuse, Go to Campisi's,period. If you have been around Dallas any length of time you know there are mysteries surrounding this place. While Im not here to report that, I do find it curious that my review of this place vanished? Read for yourself on google the conspiracy theories etc spanning decades. However,go get the pizza,and anything else on the menus. A classic old school place that's hard to find these days! Highly recommended...!